The Connection Between Obesity and Sleep Apnea

We all know about the many health risks associated with obesity, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes.  A less spoken about risk is sleep apnea. People that carry excess weight can develop a type of sleep apnea called Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Due to Obesity

People that carry excess weight have fat that compress their upper airway while they sleep.  Not everyone that has Obstructive Sleep Apnea is obese, but this condition is much higher in this category of people.  OSA causes poor sleep quality, which may explain why severely overweight people also feel tired throughout the day.

Effects of OSA on Obesity

When obese people suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea, they may be stuck in an endless cycle that will only make the problem, and their health, get worse.  OSA causes poor sleep quality, reducing the amount of a hormone called Leptin to build up in one’s system.  Leptin is the hormone that regulates appetite and metabolism.  Not having a good night’s sleep can result in one feeling hungry because of this lack of Leptin.  The body thinks it does not have enough energy, and so it thinks it needs more food to build up the necessary amount of energy, causing a person to eat more than they really need.  If an obese person continues to eat more than they can work off, they will continue to put on weight, making the Obstructive Sleep Apnea to become worse, and producing less Leptin during the night.  This cycle continues and gets worse as time goes on. 

Ghrelin is another hormone that helps to regulate weight.  It determines when your body needs to eat or store it away for later use in fat cells.  When sleep deprivation occurs due to OSA, a lower buildup of Ghrelin occurs, making the body think it is hungry rather than tired.  Rather than wanting to sleep, the body thinks it needs to refuel, and so it increases the desire to eat, rather than sleep.

What To Do If Suffering From Obstructive Sleep Apnea Due to Obesity

If one suffers from OSA due to obesity, the first step would be to consult his or her doctor for consultation in lifestyle modification.  There is a treatment called PAP (Positive Airway Pressure). The devices that the doctor can prescribe, if used as directed, can result in an increase in quality sleep and weight loss, assuming a proper diet regimen is also followed.